Theft warning signal or wheel lock for vehicles



@any s w24. f 1,500,924

W. E. CHAWCK ET AL THEFT WARNING SIGNAL OR WHEEL LOCK FOR VEHICLES Filed May 5, 192:5

Tm? u a anluswlul i l Patented July 8, 1924s miem i enf-'51e iii"II-I-.jI-AivrY CiI-ADWIQI; ANDfioHN n. ennIeIIToN, oNIiosHANeELiss, CALIFORNIA, AssIeN-oas fro ensrfwns- EDWARD wnsrnnne, oI Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

THEFT i'iARNINeV SIGNAL on vinrent Lecky non vnrretns.

Alpication ined May 5, 192%. "s'iafi No. saell'o.

This invention relates to improvements in theft Warning signals' orfvvheel locks for vehicles and has for one of its objects to provide a deviceY of this character which einbodies novel ea'tiires of construction vvhere-A by it can, be readily, effectively and ,removably appliedl to the riin and tir'e of one of the Wheels of a vehicle, in such manner as to Amake it practically impossible oran unauthorized person to remove the signal or lock and ivhile applied to thevvheel to move the automobile or vehicle Without attracting attention, and by its operation giving positive indications or markings in a road surface that will assist intolloiving or trailing the course of the vehicle. A further 0b'- ject of the invention is to provide a theft warning signal or lock `,for vehicles particularly adapted for application to the disk typey of vehicle ivheel andrin Which there are no convenient openings for effectinga positive connection betiveen the parts of the signal or lock around the tire orrim of the Wheel as there in a spoke vvheel construction. still` further object oiithe invention is to provide a Warning signal or wheel lock of` the class specified wherein strength and durability are essential, features and result Yfrom they location of the hinge and locking means at a material distance from the road contacting ,eitieinity of the improved device, 'and therebyv'r'educe injury to the hinge joint and locking mea-ns to ,a minimum. ,n I

The present `invention constitutes ani iinprovement Von the Warningcsignalu or Wheel lock ydisclosed by our pendingcapplication tiled February 7, 1922, Serial No. 534,797, and the features of improvements reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described and cla-ilnedfk In thel draivvin'g':

Fig. l is a front elevation of a warning signal ofvvlielel lock the features of the invention and showing parts thereof in dotted li'nes and illustrated as heilig applied to a disk Wheel also shoivn in dotted lines; g c

Liipig. 2 is an edge elevation of the improved eine e 3 and 4 are detail views or" a part ofthe lock hing-'e respectively in top Y plan and side elevation;

k54 andjare detail views odia latch 'bolt 4for engaging the parts of the lockhinge shoivn 'by Figs. 3 and 4; and

Figslff and S are detail views of yielding or rubber pads vvhich are applied to the ends of the arms of the improved Warning signal or Wheel lock.

The numerals A5 and 6 designate, respectively, a rigid curved arm, Which constitutes the major part of the device, and a minor or shorter 4arm of less dimensions, the

tvvo arms being movably connected by a. rhinge joint and adapted to partially encircle a tirle 7 and rim 8 and bear against the dislrportion 9 of a diskvvheel. The rigid curved arm 5 is substantially otliook Ashape and comprises a long arm member l0 merging' intoA a shorter arm member l1, a lower terminal contact projection or point l2 being located between the tivo arms. The

hinge connection of the tivo arms 5 and 6 1s located a considera-ble distance from the lov'ver 'terminal projection or point 12, to reduce injury to, or disorganization of, the hinge and locking means that might otherwise result fromthe forceful impact or jarring actionl of thelow'e'r eiitremity or point l2 With the road or other surface over which the improved theft signal or Wheel lock has movement .ivhenmapplied toV a Wheel. All parts of the Yimproved theft signal or Wheel loclifareppreferably formed of steel of such as resistrbreakage duringthesuccessive impacts of .the termina-l projection or point 12Witlrtli`egiound or road surface vvhenthe ivheelut'o which the device is applied misgrotating. Adjacent to the hinge connection Aand carried. by the minor or Shelter arm k6 is a@ lod; 14 having an 0perating key 15 and provided with an inner Arotatable projection 16, which cooperates nection 13. This location-ot the movableV elements oi the locking organization above the hinge connection 13 is effective in avoiding disorganization and injury to the 4lock 14 as above specified, in view of the tact that the lock or locking organization 14, including the slide bolt or latch pin 17, vare disposed at a considerable distance from the lower extremity or point 12.v The lock or locking organization 14 as applied and op erated is not only shielded and'protected against injury by jar and jolt incident to the striking of the lower point'or extremity 12 with the hard ground or road surface, but is rendered extremely diiicult of access by unauthorized persons desiring to. tamper therewith for the purpose of removing the f improved device ironia wheel after such improved device has beeny locked in position on f the wheel. As in the structure disclosed by our pending application above noted, the hinge connection comprises a disk terminal 18 integrally formedwithfthe upper terminal of the member 11 ofthe longer or major arm 6, .this terminal member being reduced in thickness and centrally located with respect to the upper terminal of the member 11 by forming opposite side recesses 19. rlhese recesses extend inwardly equal distances from the opposite sides of the upper terminal of the member 11, and the disk terminal 18 is flat and partially projects clear of the said upper terminalV of the member 11. The lower enlarged extremity of the shorter. or minor arm 6 is formed with opposite disk-like projections or members 20, which are spaced apart at their inner. sides a sufficient distance to permit the insertic-n of the flattened or disk terminal 18 therebetween, the assembled parts being held in movable or pivoted association by a hinge pin 21 transversely inserted through the centers of the disk-like projections or members 20 and the disk terminal 18. The upper portion ot the periphery oi' the flattened or disk terminal 18'is provided with a series ot' teeth 21, and these teeth are exposed through the lower terminal of a bore 22 'termed in the lower extremity of the arm 6 and in which the locking bolt or pin 17 has free longitudinal sliding movement. Thebore 22 extends upwardly into the lower extremity of the arm 6 across the inner side of the lock or locking organization 14 and in parallel relation to the said lock, the

lock or locking organization r14l being fully inset within the lower extremity of the arm 6, as clearly shown vby Fig. 1. The locking bolt or pin 17 is shown ,in detail'by Figs. 5 and 6 and is essentially of cylindrical form in cross section, the lower end oi' this bolt or pin being formed with a head 22ZL having the lower end of concave curved beveled contour and provided with a plutween the upper end wall of said'bore and il" the upper end of the bolt or pin a spring 25 isinterposed, the lower end of the spring bearing directly on the upper end ot' the bolt or pin 17. The spring 25 acts to nor# mally force the bolt or pin 17 downwardly,

to effect lan engagement of the teeth thereof with the teeth 21a of the iattened or disk terminal 18 of the member 11. The lock 4or locking organization 14 may be of any approved form of barrel type` lock. and "r1 is firmly secured to resist displacement within the lower extremity of the arm 6, and when the said lock and bolt or pin are assembled as shown in dotted lines in F ig.

1, the rotating projection 16 of the lock ex- -`f tends into 'the notch 24 of the bolt or pin and remains in this position at all times, the operation of the lock 14 through the medium ol the key 15 in one direction resulting in an elevation or" the bolt or pin 17 Vand release or disengagement of the teeth 23 at the lower end or lower side of the head 22*L ot' the bolt or pin from the teeth 21EL oi the disk-like terminal 18, and thereby releasing the arm 6 so that the latter may be freely turned outwardly' or released for application to or disengagement troni a tire. rim and disk of a wheel. W'hen the arm 6 is adapted to be locked in closed position., il. is only necessary to move the same inwardly to effect an automatic locking action between the teeth 28 at the lower end of the head 22a of the bolt or pin 17 and the teeth 21 of the'disk-like terminal 18. and when the parts are in locked association as just explained., opening move-ment ot the arm 6 will be obstructed until the key is regularly and authoritatively inserted in the lock to operate the latter to elevate the bolt or pin 17 and release the teeth 23 trom the teeth 21a. The curved formation oit' the lower end of the head 22EL corresponds to the curve of the disk-like terminal 18, so tha-t'the teeth 23 at the lower end of said head will readily slide over the teeth 21a of the terminal 18 in close contact there` with during the closing movement of the arm 6.

VThe upper ends ct the arms 5 and 6 are at dilerent elevations, the upper extremity opens itil) kor the arm 6 is reduced `and formed to have al downward pro]ection 28 to engage' thel lower part of the disk wheel where the latter is secured tothe rim, as shown in dotted lines by Fig: l. The lower extremity s of the arm 6 carrying the lock or locking Aorgani'zatione `loll and the bolt orlpin 17 is materially enlarged and widenedfso asto provide forv the application thereto of the lo''l; or locking organiza'tion 14 and the bolt orspin 17, and`also to give this arm a verystrong Construction adjacent to itskr hinged v,association with the dislelile ter-Y niinal 18 forming the upperterminal of the member 11 of the arin l5.

The disl; and tire engaging ends of the arms v and Gare each provided with a yielding pad 29, both pads being substan-v tially flat and covering the armends. The engagingface of each pad 29 hasa ,seriesy of transverse corrugationsSO, to effectively bear upon andV firmly engage either one side of the disk wheel or the part oi the latter over the rim of the tire. vEach pad 29 is secured toits arm end Vthroughthe -medium of studs orY Apins 31- integrally tormed with the back sidethereof and secured in corresponding sockets 32 formed in the arm end to which the pad is applied. From the foregoing it will be seen that i a very simple and structurally eifective theft signal or wheel loclfior automobile wheels is provided and especially7 adaptedior application to a disk wheel'k and its rim7 'and through the medium of the positions of the arm ends with one above the other and having a different direction in bearing engagement when applied, the improved signal or wheel lock is rendered extremelyV diiiicult in. unauthorized removal, particularlyV in View jo'f the fact that the, inner curved edges 33 andv34 of the respective arins andk 6 snugly embrace the greater portion of the tire, as clearly shown by Fig. 1. The rotation of the wheel to which the improved signal or 'loclris applied will cause the point ofthe projection 12 to rotate with the wheel and 'atintervals strike the 'roadway or street Lsurface and lift the vehicle and thus produce anoisethatI will attract the attention of pedestrians or'passersby and at the same time leave a `distinct mark or Vindjentation Aand thereby kform a Vtrail that inayugbe readily `followed should atheft be feectedan ,Seite of the .noise produced;

especia y. atta time'-when there lmaybe no V-pendewst ans ornpassersby,adjacent tov the 11:.0acl-SWW.,i..011Streetv Amener. other @draw tages resident in'the improved theft look or signal is the resistanceto maximum eiiorts to forcefully open the va'ri'iiWi after the 'latter hasbeenflockedclosed,V andV which is the result oi' thelocatioii of the locking devices orflocllzing means that maintain vthe said arm closed, there being no crevices or openings through which the essential parts of the lock or locking organization ltanj'd boltor pin ,'17, and they disk-like terminal 18 maybe reached troni the exterior, andL even though the lock, or locking organization 14 high'tbe in vextreme cases withdrawn v,frein its appliedposition, the arin 6 would still remain locked 'uiijtil further possible manipulation of thebolt or pin 1.7 would ensue to disengage the latterA fromv the teeth 21a disk-[like terminal ynother :advantage in the improved construction is that the longitudinally movable bolt or pin 17 Vfengages `the. teeth 'or the disk-like .terminal at one side oithediameter of the latter when the shorter arm 6 isclosedandlocled, andV thereby providey a stronger resistance ment of the bolt or pin by vibration or imposed on the iinprovedddevice by impact thereof vwith the road surface. Y K A y it is proposed, r o accommodate various applications, to change k'the proportions, dimensions and m'inor details 'of the'several parts or the improved the'ftjsignalor' wheel loch without departing from the spirit :and scope Vroi the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A device or the class specified, comprising tire embracing arms having ends pivotally connected'to form a hinge, thezonearm beingV materially shorter than theother'arm and disposed at an angle tothe latter and the longer arm carrying a road surface 'engaging point at the lower portion thereof and at4 a distance below .thevpivotal connection of the two arms.r the longer arm being shaped and arranged for4 engagement with the'side of a part k'of a Wheel and the 'shorter arm constructed for downward engagement with another part of 'a wheel, 'and 'means' located above the pivotal c onne'ctin of lthe two arms and cooperating lwith a portion of the said pivotal connection for releasably locking the arms'in closed.` position."

2. device of the elassspecit'ied comprisino; tire embracing arms having ends pivotvally connected tofforni a hinge and .one of the arms provided with a road surface eneaalee @011m the., upper! end. 0f. 011e arm being` shaped to engagethe side 'portion of e iih'el andthe apretando-f' weitem mins emi dsii's'd et ein anale .for dof Inward. er1- gageinent with relatioiiuto "another rt of .the wheel and rim, and meansfor re easably lockingthe device in closed position.

eden@ @it A ing tire 'and Ydislr wheel'einbracing arnis having ends pvotally connected to .form a hinge class spe lied eoiiipris- Y v and the one armk provided with a road surface engaging point, the upper end of one arm beingy located above the upper end of thev remaining arm` andshaped to engage the side portion of a disk wheel and the upper lower .end of the remaining arm being constructed to exert a downward engaging -pressure with an opposite portion of the disk wheel adjacent to the rim of the latter, and means adjacent to the hinge joint of the two arms for releasably locking the one arm in relation to the other.

4. A device of the class specified comprising tire embracing arms having ends pivotyally connected to form a hinge and the one arm provided with a road engaging spike, the arm provided with the road engaging spike being materially longer than the remaining armA and the latter shorter arm extending across and terminating below the upper terminal of the longer arm when the shorter arm is in closed locked position, and locking means located adj acentfto the hinge joint of the two arms and protected against exterior tampering. n

5. A device 'of the classl specified, comprising tire embracing arms yhaving ends located above the lowermostfportion and at one side of the device and pivotally connected to form,l a hinge, the hinge end of one arm consisting of a fixed flat disk having upper peripheral teeth and they hinge end of the other arm being slotted to receive said disk, a vertically disposed longitudinally movable bolt carried in the arm having the slotted end to engage the teeth ofthe said disk, and locking means disposedY at right its hinge end with a iat disk Vwith upperY peripheral teeth'and the shorter arm at its hinge end vbeing slotted to 'receive' the disk and movable outwardly an'dinwardly with relation to the longer arm, the shorter arm having a vertically disposed longitudinally movable bolt toautomatically engage the teeth of the disk and provided with a lock arranged at rightangles thereto, the said lock having a component for controlling the release of the bolt, the shorter arm when closed being automatically locked through the `coaction of the bolt and the disk.

7! Adevce ofthe class Specified compris ing tire embracing arms of diiferent lengths having ends movably associated to form a hinge connection and the longer arm provided with a road engaging point, the hinge connection for the arms being located at a considerable distance from the point of the longer arm, the upper end of the shorterarm when in engaging position being below the upperY end of the longer arm and disposed at an angle relatively to the upper end of the longer arm, and locking means located in the shorter arm to engage a part of the longer arm at the hinge connection for the two arms. A

8. A device of the class specified comprising tire embracing arms of different lengths and the longer arm having a road surface engaging point ai; its lower extremity, the arms being movably associated to form a hinge connection located at a distance from the said point of the longer arm and the upper wheel engaging ends of the arms being at different angles relatively to each other and one located below the other when the device is applied, the hinge connection between the arms including a fiat disk at the terminal of the longer arm formed with peripheral teeth, and locking means held within the hinged extremity of the shorter arm and comprising a lock proper having an inner rotatable projection and a longitudinally movable spring actuated bolt operably engaged by said projection and having a lower toothed end to engage the teeth of the said disk. f

9. A device of the class specified, comprising tire embracing arms movably supported to form a hinge connection which is located above the lowermost portion and at one side of the device, the device having at its lowermost portion a point for engaging the road surface, the hinge connection between the'arms including a fiat disk at Vthe one terminal of the one end formed with peripheralteeth and movably fitted in the adjacent terminal of the remaining arm, and locking means held within the hinged extremity of the latter arm and comprising a vertically disposed longitudinally movable spring actuated bolt having a lower concaved end formed with teeth to engage the teeth of the flat disk at one side of the vertical diameter of the latter when the arm carrying the locking means is closed and a lock proper extending into the arm carrying the bolt at an angle to the latter and provided with a component for releasing the bolt.

10. A device of the class specified, comprising tire embracing'arms movably associated to form a hinge connection located above the lowermost portion and at one side of the device and the one arm provided# with a lower road surface engaging point,

the upper ends of the arms being disposed arm ends, and means for releasabiy looking Jfor engaging the parts of a Wheel in differthe one arm Closed With relation to the other ent directions and the upper free ends of arm. 10 the arms each having a flat yielding oush-v n testimony whereof We have hereunto 5 ion formed with a corrugated engaging surset our hands. face and provided with studs at the outer WILLIAM E. CHADWICK.

portions thereof Which are nsecured in the JOHN A. CREIGHTON. 

